The Oscar Quest: Best Picture & Best Director – 2006

The year justice was served. Though the dish is best served warm, this one felt more reheated. They kind of just went through the motions here. They were like, “Fine, we’ll give Marty the fucking Oscar.” I’m not complaining, though. He’s deserved it like ten times over already. I think they felt the need to give him Best Picture to so they can be like, “If we give him Best Director for a Best Picture, then its like we set a benchmark and we have an excuse for not giving it to him all those other times.” But, whatever, this, to me, were actually perfect decisions. They voted for the best picture on this list. I’d have nominated some other films, but, you know, take what you can get.

Best Picture – 2006

And the nominees were…

Babel (Paramount Vantage)

The Departed (Warner Bros.)

Letters from Iwo Jima (Warner Bros.)

Little Miss Sunshine (Fox Searchlight)

The Queen (Miramax)

Babel — I remember liking this film when I went to see it. Though, I remember giving it a solid 4 stars, when the rest of the public seemed to be giving it 5. But, I did enjoy it, did not feel its need to tie everything up, even in the loosest possibly way (Oh, the gun the dude was using that accidentally shot Cate Blanchett was given to the dude by the Japanese guy who had happened to go on safari with that dude on time! Yeah, that happens.), but it was a fine film. Not really sure why they were saying it should have won, but, as a film, check it out. It’s worth at least one watch.

Departed — Yeah, this, to me, was the best picture of the year. This film is incredible. It may not feel like a Best Picture, but, you know what, they didn’t give it to Goodfellas, so, I don’t want to hear any complaining. I don’t think I’ve found one person who legit doesn’t like this movie. At least marginally. There was one person the night we went to the theater to see it, but he was an overanalytical hipster who thought the movie was a metaphor about how we’re “departed” as a nation, but he was a fucking moron. I went to a school full of those. Otherwise, this is a movie that is both well made and entertaining. Sure, it was a little too entertaining to be considered a Best Picture, but, you know what? It won. So, ha. Also, they had Nicholson announce this one, which was hysterical. I think even the Academy wasn’t thinking this was gonna win.

Letters from Iwo Jima — I liked this, but, you know — it is. I thought it was a tad bit (and I emphasize tad. Not much, just, a tiny bit) overrated. By now, though, I’d gotten sick of all the Eastwood love, since Mystic River was a piece of shit and I had learned to love The Aviator, and Flags sucked. So, going into this, I was like, “Dear god, please don’t let this be a Best Picture.” And it wasn’t. It’s not. It’s kind of boring, and I can give less than a fuck about World War II. My preference is always World War I. People love this more than I do, which is fine, I’m not gonna deny it’s a well made film, but I would never in a million years want to vote for this for Best Picture.

Little Miss Sunshine — Loved this movie. Should it be on here — ehh, it’s questionable. On this list, this becomes my #2. So, I’m fine with it. Would I have put it on here if I were making a list of films from 2006? No. But, it’s here, so we deal. I liked it. I think it’s a fun little movie with a big heart. Sure, parts of it were a bit — but, to me, it worked. Not gonna vote for it, but I liked it second best. That’s about it.

Queen — Yeah, this is the Oscars being the Oscars. It was always gonna be here. I found this boring, uninteresting, and with really no great performances. Sheen’s been playing Blair for years — it was like Raymond Massey being nominated for playing Lincoln (though Sheen wasn’t nominated). And I already said my piece on Helen Mirren yesterday, so, I’ll finish by saying — no. This film is #5.

Eastwood — I’d have been okay with him winning if him and Marty had switched in ’04 and Marty had won. Wouldn’t have voted for him, but would have been okay with it.

Frears — No.

Greengrass — Good direction — shaky cam and all. Didn’t like the film so much, but, it was adequate. I guess he deserved to be on here based on what they nominated (notice how I haven’t said how Children of Men should have been on both of these lists yet? I held my tongue), but, definitely no vote.

Iñárritu — Probably a second choice based on Eastwood not getting the vote. Eastwood did the second best job, vote-wise, but, I vote him second just because Clint has two already. Rankings-wise, he’s third, but, vote-wise, second.

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